Apparatus and method for generating a fingerprint and identifying a three-dimensional model

Abstract

A method for matching a first three-dimensional (3D) model includes obtaining 3D source information of a second 3D model, the 3D source information including a plurality of physical characteristics of the second 3D model, determining a plurality of factors of the second 3D model based on the obtained 3D source information, obtaining a first 3D fingerprint of the first 3D model from a memory, the first 3D fingerprint comprising a plurality of factors associated with the first 3D model, comparing the plurality of factors of the second 3D model to the plurality of factors of the first 3D fingerprint, providing information of a match confidence level between the first 3D model and the second 3D model based on the comparison, and storing a second 3D fingerprint of the second 3D model in the memory, the second 3D fingerprint including the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A matching method for a first three-dimensional (3D) model, the method comprising:
 obtaining 3D source information of a second 3D model, the 3D source information comprising a plurality of physical characteristics of the second 3D model; 
 determining a plurality of factors of the second 3D model based on the obtained 3D source information; 
 obtaining a first 3D fingerprint of the first 3D model from a memory, the first 3D fingerprint comprising a plurality of factors associated with the first 3D model; 
 comparing the plurality of factors of the second 3D model to the plurality of factors of the first 3D fingerprint; 
 providing information of a match confidence level between the first 3D model and the second 3D model based on the comparison; and 
 storing a second 3D fingerprint of the second 3D model in the memory, the second 3D fingerprint comprising the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model, 
 wherein the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model are based on a center point of the second 3D model corresponding to a geometric center determined based on an intersection point of three orthogonal axis planes. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first 3D fingerprint comprises a plurality of physical characteristics of the first 3D model in a predefined data structure configured to assign each of the plurality of physical characteristics to a corresponding factor of the plurality of factors associated with the first 3D model. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model comprises information of eight quadrants of the second 3D model; and 
 each quadrant is defined by the three orthogonal planes. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a second 3D fingerprint comprising the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model in a predefined data structure, 
 wherein comparing the plurality of factors of the second 3D model to the plurality of factors of the first 3D fingerprint comprises comparing the second 3D fingerprint to the first 3D fingerprint. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model comprises information related to:
 a color of the second 3D model; 
 a number of parts of the second 3D model; 
 a distance between a first part and a second part of the second 3D model; 
 a thickness of a wall of the second 3D model; 
 a number of tessellation patterns on a surface of the second 3D model; 
 a size of a minimum bounding box of the second 3D model; 
 a volume of the minimum bounding box; 
 a volume of a material of the second 3D model; 
 a polygon mesh comprising a plurality of vertices, edges, and faces of a surface of the second 3D model; 
 the center point of the second 3D model; or 
 eight quadrants of the second 3D model each defined by an intersection of the three orthogonal planes. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the information of the match confidence level comprises an individual match confidence level for each of the plurality of factors. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising setting an indicator when the match confidence level is less than or equal to a first threshold value and greater than or equal to a second threshold value. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second 3D model comprises a first portion separable from a second portion; and
 the plurality of physical characteristics of the second 3D model comprises a size ratio of the first portion to the second portion. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first 3D fingerprint is obtained from another party in response to a request including information of the second 3D model. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus for matching a first three-dimensional (3D) model, the apparatus comprising:
 a display configured to display information; and 
 least one controller configured to:
 obtain 3D source information of a second 3D model, the 3D source information comprising a plurality of physical characteristics of the second 3D model; 
 determine a plurality of factors of the second 3D model based on the obtained 3D source information; 
 obtain a 3D fingerprint of the first 3D model from a memory, the first 3D fingerprint comprising a plurality of factors associated with the first 3D model; 
 compare the plurality of factors of the second 3D model to the plurality of factors of the first 3D fingerprint; 
 cause the display to display information of a match confidence level between the first 3D model and the second 3D model based on the comparison; and 
 cause the memory to store a second 3D fingerprint of the second 3D model in the memory, the second 3D fingerprint comprising the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model, 
 
 wherein the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model are based on a center point of the second 3D model corresponding to a geometric center determined based on an intersection point of three orthogonal axis planes. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first 3D fingerprint comprises a plurality of physical characteristics of the first 3D model in a predefined data structure configured to assign each of the plurality of physical characteristics to a corresponding factor of a plurality of factors of the first 3D model. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model comprises information of eight quadrants of the second 3D model; and 
 each quadrant is defined by the three orthogonal planes. 
 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to:
 generate a second 3D fingerprint comprising the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model in a predefined data structure; and 
 compare the plurality of factors of the second 3D model to the plurality of factors of the first 3D fingerprint by comparing the second 3D fingerprint to the first 3D fingerprint. 
 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model comprises information related to:
 a color of the second 3D model; 
 a number of parts of the second 3D model; 
 a distance between a first part and a second part of the second 3D model; 
 a thickness of a wall of the second 3D model; 
 a number of tessellation patterns on a surface of the second 3D model; 
 a size of a minimum bounding box of the second 3D model; 
 a volume of the minimum bounding box; 
 a volume of a material of the second 3D model; 
 a polygon mesh comprising a plurality of vertices, edges, and faces of a surface of the second 3D model; 
 the center point of the second 3D model; or 
 eight quadrants of the second 3D model each defined by an intersection of the three orthogonal planes. 
 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to set an indicator when the match confidence level is less than or equal to a first threshold value and greater than or equal to a second threshold value. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the second 3D model comprises a first portion separable from a second portion; and
 the plurality of physical characteristics of the second 3D model comprises a size ratio of the first portion to the second portion. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first 3D fingerprint is obtained from another party in response to a request including information of the second 3D model. 
     
     
       18. A machine-readable non-transitory medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions for matching a first three-dimensional (3D) model, the machine-executable instructions comprising:
 obtaining 3D source information of a second 3D model, the 3D source information comprising a plurality of physical characteristics of the second 3D model; 
 determining a plurality of factors of the second 3D model based on the obtained 3D source information; 
 obtaining a first 3D fingerprint of the first 3D model from a memory, the first 3D fingerprint comprising a plurality of factors associated with the first 3D model; 
 comparing the plurality of factors of the second 3D model to the plurality of factors of the first 3D fingerprint; 
 providing information of a match confidence level between the first 3D model and the second 3D model based on the comparison; and 
 storing a second 3D fingerprint of the second 3D model in the memory, the second 3D fingerprint comprising the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model, 
 wherein the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model are based on a center point of the second 3D model corresponding to a geometric center determined based on an intersection point of three orthogonal axis planes. 
 
     
     
       19. The machine-readable non-transitory medium of  claim 18 , wherein the first 3D fingerprint comprises a plurality of physical characteristics of the first 3D model in a predefined data structure configured to assign each of the plurality of physical characteristics to a corresponding factor of a plurality of factors of the first 3D model. 
     
     
       20. The machine-readable non-transitory medium of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model comprises information of eight quadrants of the second 3D model; and 
 each quadrant is defined by the three orthogonal planes. 
 
     
     
       21. The machine-readable non-transitory medium of  claim 18 , wherein the machine-executable instructions stored thereon further comprises instructions for:
 generating a second 3D fingerprint comprising the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model in a predefined data structure; and 
 comparing the plurality of factors of the second 3D model to the plurality of factors of the first 3D fingerprint by comparing the second 3D fingerprint to the first 3D fingerprint. 
 
     
     
       22. The machine-readable non-transitory medium of  claim 18 , wherein the determined plurality of factors of the second 3D model comprises information related to:
 a color of the second 3D model; 
 a number of parts of the second 3D model; 
 a distance between a first part and a second part of the second 3D model; 
 a thickness of a wall of the second 3D model; 
 a number of tessellation patterns on a surface of the second 3D model; 
 a size of a minimum bounding box of the second 3D model; 
 a volume of the minimum bounding box; 
 a volume of a material of the second 3D model; 
 a polygon mesh comprising a plurality of vertices, edges, and faces of a surface of the second 3D model; 
 the center point of the second 3D model; or 
 eight quadrants of the second 3D model each defined by an intersection of the three orthogonal planes. 
 
     
     
       23. The machine-readable non-transitory medium of  claim 18 , wherein the first 3D fingerprint is obtained from another party in response to a request including information of the second 3D model.